Square Enix executive considers crowdfunding to localize games

Many Japanese games fail to make it over to Western countries. It is an unfortunate truth and, unless you are fluent in Japanese, there is a slim chance you will be able to play them.

Well, a Square Enix executive has a new approach to this and may consider crowdfunding in the future to localize games. Speaking in the latest issue of Game Informer, Square Enix Europe CEO Phil Rogers said:

"It's a topic that comes up a lot, and we understand why it does. We're constantly working with the teams in Tokyo to show them this and to work with them there. The simple truth is that in some ways the development process and the tools, it's not always an easy undertaking to reopen a game and add localization after."

When Rogers was asked if crowdfunding could be used to help localize more games, he said that crowdfunding would be a "very natural" idea to help fund localize games but did not confirm any plans to use crowdfunding for localization.

He went on to say: "I think it's a really interesting idea. I would love to try to work with that, to find a way, because ultimately we want to satisfy the demands of the fans."

Recently Square Enix had canceled their Augment Your Pre-order program for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided because of the massive backlash from fans.